Lifeless skin tones? Warm them up with tips from 10-minute tutorial

Skin tones can be pretty easy to throw out of whack in post, especially if you’re still learning the ropes.

Good news: A 10-minute video tutorial from the folks at Phlearn shows you how to get funky-looking skin tones back to warmer, more lifelike shades. Instructor Aaron Nace uses Photoshop tools like color balance, hue and saturation adjustment layers, gradients, and curves to make a good shot look great.

One of the best tips in the clip is how profoundly shadow colors can affect the feel of the image—adding blue hues to the darker areas of the shot can cool off the image without deadening it. Nace also demonstrates how to add colorized effects, like a warm lens flare.

The final image ends up with a warm, cozy '70s vibe. Whether it's to your taste or not, you’ll pick up a few super-helpful color editing tricks along the way. Check out the clip over at Phlearn—they have tons of other free and paid tutorials available for your perusal, as well.